What are grapes?
Grapes are a popular fruit that grow in clusters on vines. They are available in many colors including green, red, black, yellow, and purple. Grapes are high in nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, and antioxidants. They also contain natural sugars like glucose and fructose. A one cup serving of grapes contains about 15 grams of net carbs, which is quite high for a low carb or ketogenic diet.
What is a keto diet?
A ketogenic or “keto” diet is a very low carb, high fat diet. It typically limits carbs to less than 50 grams per day. The goal of keto is to get the body into a state of ketosis, where it is burning fat for fuel instead of glucose from carbs. Ketosis happens when there is a low level of glucose available. The liver begins breaking down fat into molecules called ketones which can be used for energy by the body and brain.
Some of the main foods to eat on keto include meat, fish, eggs, healthy oils, low carb vegetables like leafy greens, and high fat dairy like butter and cream. Foods to avoid include grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Limiting carbs to 20-50 grams daily can induce ketosis for most people.
Are grapes keto friendly?
Unfortunately grapes are not considered keto friendly, for a few reasons:
- Grapes have a high sugar content. One cup of grapes contains about 23 grams of total carbohydrates, 15 grams from natural sugars.
- That amount of carbs is too high for the daily carb limit on keto which aims for 20-50 grams total per day.
- Since grapes are high in sugars they can spike blood sugar levels and insulin, which can kick you out of ketosis.
- Without fiber, the sugars in grapes are quickly absorbed. They don’t provide steady energy like fibers would.
So eating more than a small portion of grapes at a time is not recommended on a keto diet. Even though grapes are nutritious, they are considered a high carb fruit that should be limited or avoided altogether when following a strict keto eating plan.
Keto diet guidelines on fruits
The keto diet strictly limits high carb fruits and starchy vegetables. These foods can easily take up your daily carb allowance making it tough to stay in ketosis.
Some fruits are off limits on keto including:
- Bananas
- Apples
- Mangoes
- Pineapple
- Watermelon
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Pears
- Peaches
Lower sugar fruits can potentially be eaten in moderation on keto. Some options include:
- Berries – raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries
- Lemon/lime
- Avocado
- Tomatoes
- Starfruit
- Olives
When eating these fruits, portion size matters. It’s best to stick to around 1/2 cup serving per day. Fruit intake may need to be further reduced to stay under 20-50 grams of total daily carbs.
Can you have grapes on keto?
While grapes are not keto friendly, there are a few ways they may potentially fit into a well-formulated keto diet:
- Eat a few grapes as an occasional treat in a tiny portion. Aim for no more than 10-15 grapes at a time.
- Account for the 15+ carbs they contain in your daily totals.
- Limit other carbs for the day to stay in your target carb range.
- Pair grapes with fatty foods like cheese to slow digestion.
- Enjoy them after a workout when your body can better utilize the glucose.
- Some people experience less impact from carbs when first transitioning to keto. This may allow more flexibility.
Grapes are not considered keto friendly. But if you truly love grapes, you can work them into your diet in very small amounts. Just be cautious as they can impact ketosis.
Healthier keto fruit choices
If you want the nutrition of fruit on a keto diet, these make better choices than grapes:
- Berries – raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Choose 3/4 to 1 cup.
- Avocado – contains fiber and healthy fats. Aim for 1/4 to 1/2 an avocado.
- Tomatoes – excellent source of vitamin C and lycopene. Enjoy 1-2 small tomatoes.
- Olives – provides healthy monounsaturated fat. Stick to 10-12 medium olives.
- Lemon/Lime – can be squeezed onto keto foods or made into refreshing drinks. Use 1-2 tablespoons of juice.
These fruits offer nutrition without spiking blood sugar or carbs as much as grapes or other high sugar fruits.
Keto-friendly grape alternatives
Here are some ideas for simulating the sweet taste and texture of grapes on a keto diet:
- Cupuaçu berries – Also called white cacao, these exotic berries taste like a cross between chocolate and pineapple. They are low carb at only 2 grams net carbs for 3 berries.
- Jicama – This vegetable can be sliced into sticks that taste starchy and sweet like grapes, with only 1 gram net carb per 1/2 cup serving.
- Frozen grapes – Freeze a small portion of grapes to enjoy occasionally as a frozen snack. Let them partially thaw for 15-30 minutes before eating.
- Grape extract drops – Add a few drops of concentrated grape extract to water, smoothies, yogurt or chia pudding to impart a grape flavor.
- Powdered grape drink mix – A sugar free grape drink mix like Stur can provide grape taste in a keto approved format, without sugar.
These grape-inspired options can help satisfy a grape craving without the carbs.
Can you eat grape seeds on keto?
Grape seeds are low in carbs, so they can be enjoyed moderately on a keto diet. Two tablespoons of grape seeds contains around:
- 104 calories
- 9 grams fat
- 4 grams protein
- 2 grams net carbs
The fiber content is very high at 1.5 grams per tablespoon. Fiber is counted separately and subtracted from total carbs to find net carbs.
Grape seeds provide iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Their healthy fats are mostly polyunsaturated.
A few ways to eat grape seeds on keto:
- Sprinkle on yogurt, chia pudding or salads
- Add to trail mix or granola
- Make into crackers or energy bites
- Grind into grape seed flour
- Extract grape seed oil
- Bake into keto bread
Enjoy grape seeds in moderate portions of 1-2 tablespoons per day on keto. Be sure to count the carbs. And stay hydrated since the fiber content can be dehydrating.
Do grapes stall ketosis?
Yes, grapes can potentially stall ketosis on a keto diet. Here’s why:
- Grapes have 23 grams total carbs per cup, with 15 grams from sugars. This goes over most people’s daily carb limit.
- The fructose and glucose in grapes raise blood sugar and insulin. Ketosis happens in response to low blood sugar.
- Grapes lack fat and protein. The resulting insulin spike can swiftly drop blood sugar levels promoting cravings and overeating carbs.
- Once out of ketosis, it can take 24-48 hours to get back in since liver glycogen and insulin levels need to drop again.
To minimize impact, keep grape portions under 10-15 grapes. Avoid pairing them with high carb foods. Include protein and fat to blunt the spike. And test ketones 2-3 hours after eating them to ensure you remain in ketosis.
Grapes on keto: The bottom line
Grapes are one of the fruits highest in sugar and carbs – making them a poor choice for keto. Most grape varieties contain 15+ grams net carbs in a 1 cup serving, so it’s easy to go over your 20-50 grams daily carb limit quickly.
While grapes provide vitamin C, vitamin K and antioxidants, the spike they cause in blood sugar and insulin can knock you out of ketosis.
If you truly love grapes, you may be able to carefully incorporate 10-15 at a time in your keto diet. But it’s better to satisfy fruit cravings with low sugar, low carb options like berries, tomatoes, olives, and avocado on keto.
Grape seeds are a better choice, providing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber in just 2 grams net carbs per serving.
Overall grapes are not considered a keto approved fruit. To succeed with the keto diet long term, it’s best to skip grapes and opt for low carb fruits instead. But with care and planning, occasional tiny grape portions may be possible without disrupting ketosis.